[This is part of the series: A List of Things I Remember About Living In Saudi Arabia.]
It was not just learning to shoot pool.
I remember a number of other indoor sports I took up, we all took up, to escape the heat and avoid the fact that there were only three or four TV stations.
Unless you own a pool table, ping pong table, or go bowling very often, I have found I am most-likely better than you at all three.
There are exceptions, of course, but I simply put many hours into each of these as a child.
Billiards became a love, and I spent way too much time playing ping-pong in a rec-center room they eventually outfitted for the kids to hang-out in.
We had bowling tournaments with competitive leagues for both children and adults.
It was 9-pin no-tap children’s bowling until your arm fell off.
Of course, bowling then was always free – now a night of bowling feels nearly the same price as a hospital visit.
I also remember sitting in the racquetball courts in the heat of the day after school.
It was always cold in there.
We played racquetball, lounged, gossiped, and generally tried to impress each other.
We were old enough to be on our own, but too young to get into any real trouble.
Maybe we were just protected.
It was perfect.